The present invention relates to tracking points within an encasement that is designated in an image. Embodiments of the invention use the new positions of the points to determine the new position of the encasement. For example, embodiments of the invention may be used to follow an object that is monitored by a camera, where both the object and the camera are moving.
Related art methods typically track an object by using contoured edges of the object. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,259,802 discloses a method of tracking an object by using contoured edges of the object. This method follows an optimal edge throughout video frames to determine the motion of the object. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,526,156 discloses an object tracking system that selects an edge of an image based on edge energy. The image is bounded so that a travel path can be determined. This system follows an optimal contour through the travel path. In contrast, embodiments of the invention do not track the encasement directly, or directly follow the motion of a specific object over time.